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Burress’s Troubles Could Help Toomer

Plaxico Burress’s self-inflicted gunshot wound has put receiver Amani Toomer, already a valuable player for the Giants, in position to benefit from the medical and legal issues surrounding Burress.

Toomer is in the last year of his contract, which is worth about $3 million. He said Monday that no new negotiations had started but that he wanted to stay with the Giants.

“I know it would be great and I really love it in New York and all that stuff, but it is a business and I just hope it all works out and makes sense for both parties,” Toomer said in a conference call. “I definitely want to play next year. No question.”

Toomer did not hurt his bargaining position Sunday with a 40-yard touchdown reception that started the scoring in a 23-7 victory at Washington that left the Giants at 11-1 as they prepared to host Philadelphia on Sunday. They could clinch first place in the National Football Conference East and a first-round playoff bye.

With 39 receptions — five of them Sunday — Toomer’s total is second on the team behind Steve Smith’s 43. With 480 receiving yards — 85 on Sunday — Toomer leads the Giants. His four touchdown catches ties him for second behind tight end Kevin Boss’s five.

Toomer is the career leading receiver for the Giants. But he is a 13-year veteran and is 34, which is old for his line of work. He said he was still the deep threat he was as a rookie out of Michigan in 1996.

“I can do everything that I did when I was younger,” Toomer said. “I think going through yoga and doing a lot of the stuff that I do in the off-season has definitely helped me.

“The experience actually helps me as well because I think I am doing pretty well.”

Burress shot himself in the leg early Saturday at a Manhattan nightclub, the Latin Quarter. As the Giants prepare for the last quarter of their season, Toomer was asked about Burress’s troubles. Do his teammates want Burress back?

“I really don’t want to get into speculation,” Toomer said. “I haven’t polled the locker room.” He said he had not spoken to Burress. Earlier this season, Toomer said that Burress’s disciplinary problems had become a distraction.

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Toomer said Monday that Burress was still liked by his teammates but added, “It is just an unfortunate situation with people making mistakes, and we can’t really do too much about it.”

Toomer was asked how he stayed out of trouble off the field. “I didn’t think it was that hard not to get in trouble,” he said. “I don’t really go out that much.”

Giants Coach Tom Coughlin said Toomer had been “extremely valuable” in the five seasons Coughlin has coached here, adding: “He obviously played very well yesterday. He really made a great play to start the game off.”

On Toomer’s touchdown, on first-and-10 from the Washington 40, he beat the press coverage of cornerback Fred Smoot with an inside/outside move, streaked down the right sideline and caught Eli Manning’s pass over his left shoulder in stride at the 5.

Toomer crashed into the end zone with Smoot on his back to help give the Giants a 7-0 lead on their first possession. The play was made possible in part because the Redskins were jamming the line of scrimmage.

It also helped that Boss crossed from left to right before the snap and ran a shallow pass pattern that forced a safety to track Boss and leave Toomer in single coverage. In addition, Coughlin added, “the protection was outstanding.”

Although it is often said that Burress helps by drawing double coverage, it is also true that Manning, without Burress, threw for 305 yards Sunday.

Extra Points

Asked if Plaxico Burress was ready to play, Coach Tom Coughlin said on a conference call, “I have no idea about the health status. We’re dealing with all the issues right now.” Would the team deactivate him if he was healthy? “We’re dealing with that,” he said. “Today, we’ve had some discussions. Those discussions will be ongoing. Basically, we just put the Redskin game to rest. We’re going to be discussing those and other issues as we gain information over the next couple days.”